Disability in the News

by Steering Developments·28 Jan 2016

The last few weeks have been very interesting in terms of news and information about disabilities becoming more mainstream and interesting. We are pleased
to see a wide range of articles and stories about disability, accessibility and wheelchair use being shared widely on the internet. Here are a few
of our favourite recent articles:

LEGO releases first Minifig in a Wheelchair

At the recent London and Nuremberg toy fairs, LEGO unveiled a new minifigure - the first one they've ever released in a wheelchair. For children who use
wheelchairs, having a toy that they can identify with is extremely important. The #ToyLikeMe campaign, launched last year, has been lobbying for more
diversity in toys, so this new LEGO release has come as an extremely welcome success.

Photo credit: Promobricks

Dolls with Disabilities

In another success, British toymaker Makies was inspired by the campaign and has released a line of dolls with disabilities. From crutches and hearing
aids to customised guide dogs, the company is also working on a doll that uses a wheelchair, to increase representation for children with varied
disabilities.

Photo credit: #ToyLikeMe via Facebook

Travelling with Disabilities

We recently came across the fantastic blog "Curb Free with Cory Lee". Cory is a 25-year-old
travel addict, who happens to use a wheelchair. He started the blog to share his amazing travel adventures with the world, from the perspective of
a wheelchair-user. He talks about his travels, the best places to eat, the top wheelchair-accessible attractions, and plenty more, in locations from
Iceland and Mexico, to Canada and the Bahamas.

Tennis Champ

Congratulations to Britain's Gordon Reid for getting through to the final of the Australian Open wheelchair singles, beating Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez.
Reid is 24 and hails from Scotland, reaching the final 4 of the Grand Slam tournament in a shock win over the top seed and eight-time champion, Japan's
Shingo Kunieda.

Reid won the men's doubles titles at last year's US Open, and we're rooting for him in the finals this year.

Stylish and Fashionable Clothing

An American designer is working on a range of beautiful, stylish and practical clothing for wheelchair users. Taking into account things like ease of putting on and taking off
the clothes, keeping warm while reducing bulk, comfort, and design, Izzy Camilleri has created a range of clothes that even take into account whether
the wearer uses a manual or powered wheelchair, knowing that each type has its own impact on the body.